A CROWDFUNDER has been set up to raise money for Palestinian artists coming to the Edinburgh Fringe.
The project, called “Welcome to the Fringe: Palestine 2025”, is aiming to allow Palestinian artists to perform in the city, enabling them to develop a network of other artists who can offer guidance and mentorship.
The project also ran ten years ago, when ten artists were able to come from Palestine to Edinburgh to allow audiences to engage with Palestinian performance.
The crowdfunder launched yesterday and has already made £1,855 of its £30,000 target.
The target figure aims to cover costs such as flights, accommodation, Fringe registration, venue costs, and volunteer expenses.
On their Crowdfunder page, the group states: “It is more important than ever that we host and share in the work of our Palestinian colleagues.”
In the past weeks, thousands of Palestinians have been returning home to what is left of Northern Gaza after a ceasefire deal was arranged.
“Welcome to the Fringe: Palestine” aims to bring up to 16 artists to Edinburgh, working in various mediums such as poetry, theatre, dance, live art, and song.
The group is made up of Scottish-based creatives who have worked in Palestine and the wider Middle East in the past decades.
Since the project is volunteer led, they are calling for support from the community to get the fund off the ground, and to offer any skills such as PR, publicity, and marketing, as well as technical help or even accommodation if possible.
The page states: “We want to do something, however small it seems, to combat the ongoing dehumanisation and violence against the Palestinian people, and the ongoing censorship, restrictions and barriers placed in the way of Palestinian art.
“Above all, Welcome to the Fringe: Palestine, aims to listen and learn from Palestinians.
“The Edinburgh Fringe is one of our favourite places in the world. It is a place of welcome and refuge.
“We want it to be a place where everyone can speak in the open and tell their stories. We want it to be a place where the unheard are finally heard.
“We hope you feel able to support us in this.”
If individuals donate £100 or more to the cause, they will receive a full pass to a four-day showcase of Palestinian performance, and £500 or more will get a pass plus an invite to the end of festival party.
£2,000 will mean sponsoring an artist and covering the costs of bringing them to Edinburgh.
Locals have shared their support, with one commenting: “Very much looking forward to seeing some excellent work from Palestinian artists this August.”
Another called the project: “Beautiful and vital”.
A third said: “Good luck with this wonderful initiative. I’ll help spread the word”
